Method for graphical collaboration with unstructured data

• US 7,010,752 B2
• Filed: 06/13/2002
• Issued: 03/07/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 05/03/2002
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Enactex Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Enactex Incorporated
• Inventors: Ly, Eric Thichvi
• Primary Examiner(s): Bayerl, Raymond J.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Bonshock, Dennis G
• Application Number:
  US10/170,992
• Publication Number:
  US 20030206203A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,363 Days
• Field of Search: 715/769, 715/853, 345/440
• US Class Current: 715/769
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/10 Office automation; Time management

Abstract

Briefly, the method for graphical collaboration with unstructured data provides multiple concurrent collaboration displays. One or more of the collaboration displays may be configured as a free-form display where a data object may be generated and viewed. Structure may be added to the data object by associating the data with one or more categories, where each category relates to a higher-level concept. Each collaboration display may use a selectable set of categories to display the data object. In this way, each collaboration display may be configured to view the data object with a desired level of structure. In a particular example, the data object may be added or modified in one of the collaboration displays, and that addition or change is indicated on the other collaboration displays substantially simultaneously.

Claims

1. A method for collaborating, comprising:

generating a data object on a free-form display area;

storing the data object in an object file;

assigning a set of associations to the data object, each association relating to a different high-level concept for the data object;

selecting a first group of associations, the first group being a subset of the set of associations;

selecting a second group of associations, the second group being a subset of the set of associations, and being different than the first group of associations;

displaying a first display of the data object using the first group of associations;

displaying a second display of the data object using a second group of associations;

a conversion utility receiving information from an e-mail;

the conversion utility using the e-mail information to change the data object;

updating substantially concurrently the first display and the second display to reflect the changed data object; and

wherein the first display and second display occur substantially simultaneously.

2. The method according to claim 1, further including changing the data object in the object file, and updating substantially simultaneously the first display and the second display to reflect the changed data object.

3. The method according to claim 1, further including changing the data object using one of the displays, and updating substantially simultaneously the other display.

4. The method according to claim 3, further including storing the changed data object in a change file, and updating the object file to reflect the change after the change has been approved.

5. The method according to claim 4, further including associating a change indicia with the data object so that the displays indicated that the changed data object is in the change file, and removing the change indicia after the change has been approved.

6. The method according to claim 1, further including proposing to change the data object using one of the displays, and updating substantially simultaneously the other display to indicate that it has been proposed to change the data object.

7. The method according to claim 1, where the first group of associations consists of 0 associations selected from the set of associations, and the first display displays the data object in a free-form environment.

8. The method according to claim 1, where the first group of associations consists of 1 association selected from the set of associations, and the first display displays the data object with the 1 association as a axis.

9. The method according to claim 1, where the first group of associations consists of 2 associations selected from the set of associations, and the first display displays the data object with the 2 associations each acting as an axis for the first display.

10. The method according to claim 1, further including changing the data object in the object file, updating substantially concurrently the first display and the second display to reflect the changed data object, generating information for an e-mail, and sending the e-mail to a pre-defined address to indicate the data object has been changed.

11. A collaboration system, comprising:

a plurality of data displays, the data displays being operably coupled for concurrent display;

a data object displayable on the plurality of displays, the data object being assigned a set of associations each representing a high level concept;

a first one of the plurality of displays configured to present the data object in a free-form display area with no associations structuring the data object;

a second one of the plurality of displays configured to present the data object in a display area with at least one of the associations structuring the data object;

a conversion utility configured to send an e-mail to an e-mail process that causes the data object to be updated in the first display and the second display; and

wherein both the first display and the second display present the data object concurrently.

12. The collaboration system according to claim 11, wherein the free-form display area is arranged as a metaphor for a whiteboard, and the data object is arranged as a metaphor for a sticky note.

13. The collaboration system according to claim 11, wherein the at least one of the associations is assigned to an axis of the second display so that the data object is structured pursuant to axis labels.

14. The collaboration system according to claim 11, wherein a change made to the data object in one of the displays causes the change to be reflected in the other display substantially concurrently with the change being made.

15. The collaboration system according to claim 11, wherein a change made to the data object in one of the displays causes the change to be reflected in the other display after the change has been authorized.

16. A method for collaborating, comprising:

generating a data object on a free-form display area;

storing the data object in an object file;

assigning a set of associations to the data object, each association relating to a different high-level concept for the data object;

selecting a first group of associations, the first group being a subset of the set of associations;

selecting a second group of associations, the second group being a subset of the set of associations, and being different than the first group of associations;

displaying a first display of the data object using the first group of associations;

displaying a second display of the data object using a second group of associations;

wherein the first display and second display occur substantially simultaneously;

changing the data object in the object file;

updating substantially concurrently the first display and the second display to reflect the changed data object;

a conversion utility detecting the change and generating information for an e-mail;

sending the e-mail to a pre-defined address to indicate the data object has been changed.

17. The method according to claim 16, further including changing the data object in the object file, and updating substantially simultaneously the first display and the second display to reflect the changed data object.

18. The method according to claim 16, further including changing the data object using one of the displays, and updating substantially simultaneously the other display.

19. The method according to claim 18, further including storing the changed data object in a change file, and updating the object file to reflect the change after the change has been approved.

20. The method according to claim 19, further including associating a change indicia with the data object so that the displays indicated that the changed data object is in the change file, and removing the change indicia after the change has been approved.

21. The method according to claim 16, further including proposing to change the data object using one of the displays, and updating substantially simultaneously the other display to indicate that it has been proposed to change the data object.

22. The method according to claim 16, where the first group of associations consists of 0 associations selected from the set of associations, and the first display displays the data object in a free-form environment.

23. The method according to claim 16, where the first group of associations consists of 1 association selected from the set of associations, and the first display displays the data object with the 1 association as a axis.

24. The method according to claim 16, where the first group of associations consists of 2 associations selected from the set of associations, and the first display displays the data object with the 2 associations each acting as an axis for the first display.